Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-07-15

lance Ol only twenty Clght Mexican leagues,
or seventy miles, from Oaxaca, lay the
province of the same name as that ancient
district of gold.
] remember that when it became noised
abroad that we were going into the distant
hill country, we received, from the Oaxa-
cans, repeated warnings of the dangers at
tending such a venture All admitted that
the ancient gold mines and the river with
yellow sand were in that region but the
inhabitants Of the only settlement in pos
session Of the secret had sworn to protect it
with their lives. Furthermore, they had,
said rumor, over hundred rifles, with
which they drilled weekly, and with which
they were determined to defend the Aztec
treasure trove from all invaders
We were undeterred however but as
there was great delay in procuring permis
sion from the authorities and letters Of in
PRODUCTION aud command to the jcfes of the
native hill tribes, we set out for side ex-
ploration Of "A near valley, rich in mounds
raised by the Indians Of antiquity.
1--WE will first gorge ourselves with
ruins, said b., "and then, having thrown
the authorities off the track will return
and strike out for the gold mines"
CHAPTER IA RIDE AMONG RUINS.
Mounted upon three fine horses, and un
der the leadership Of Don Santos Gomez, a
well-known character in Southern Mexico
we forded the broad but shallow Oaxaca
river, one morning in August, and climbed
the hills Of Monte Alban After riding up
Il sloping, fragl ant pasture, wet with dew
and delightfully."- odorous we reached the
top Of the Sierra, crowned with series Of
gigantic earthworks which the French
archn.ologist. Charnay, declares the most
precious in Southern Mexico, and contain
ing now and then a sculptured stone Of a
pattern which Niolet-le- Due deems different
in type from all others Of Central America
but similar TO the Egyptian
At the summit was the fortin Cthe great
central fortifcationJ where long and high
mounds surround level space of several
acres which our guide called the plaza de
a,1nus With crooked stick drawn by
horn -yoked oxen two Indian boys were
peacefully blowing here. At our request,
they left their beasts in the furrow and
guided us TO a great mound, pierced by
four galleries, which met at its centre, at
which point a shaft. about thirty feet deep,
| opened down from its apex. Certain books
| speak Of enormous masses Of masonry rep
re,enting what once were palaces temples
and forts, and Of granite block in one Of
/ Il. 1
human figure with Chinese queue also of
a jar, found here, containing nearly 300
copper axes These so-called "axes," ," by the
way-some Of which later found-are of
thin copper, Of such tenuity, indeed, that
they could not have been used as axes, but
were, more properly, merely objects of bar
ter in shape they resemble the Greek let
ter Tau
But We had been preceded, many years
back, 10y both treasure seekers and antigua
ries and though the freshly-plowed field
was covered with shards of pottery, we
| found no other relics, notwithstanding the
assurance of the boys that they had often
found the Manitos-or little monkeys, as
they called the iioiitos turned up by the
| plow, or in the galleries.
1t was most delightful spot, this ancient
seat of the Zapotec kings, with its exten-
sive views adown the triple valley of Oak
aca and from it we could trace other forts
ON other hills, and behold almost countless
mounds swelling the bosom Of the beautiful
vale Of Ejutla, which extended southwark
and into which we were to penetrate Judg
| ing not only by these physical remains but
| by tales and traditions waited to us from
those days Of long ago, believe this valley
to have been fully as populous as that of
Anahuec even at the period Of Aztec su-
premacy.
1t was rather dangerous work to descend
from the forts to the southern valley but
our horses were safe and our guides trust
worthy, and So in safety we reached Cuila-
pan, formerly great city Of the Miztecs,
but now a wretched little Indian town. We
enquired for mescni-a fiery liquor distilled
from the maguey plant, for our chief was
sinking beneath the fatigues Of the jour
ney and learned that the only persons hav-
ing any were the judge and the curd, or
parish priest. The latter we sought at
once, and found him in the ruins of the con
vent, an immense structure-the largest of
the kind, we were told, out of Mexico City
with a vast central dome, hanking tow
ers, long ranges of cloisters about the en-
closed and pillared patio, and groined arches
springing to the airy roof Beneath the
high dome, and directly in front of the al
| l.l 4
in quaint devices and with an iron ring in
each corner. ''This slab" said the cltrd,
covers grave to which tradition points
as that Of Malinche, the Tabascan princess
who served CortGs so faithfully throughout
the Conquest. There is an air of proba-
bility about this as this old convent, said to
have been begun by him, is in one of the
three Indian towns given him 10y the King
of Spain, when he was created Marquis of
the Valley. But if there be shade of
doubt hanging over this antique slab, and if,
indeed, Malintzin-Marina, the beloved of
the Spanard-sleeps beneath some other
stone, another name is linked with this an
cent convent of Cuilapan which should Gre
ate of it a shrine to be visited by every pa
triotc inhabitant of Mexico
Guerrero, the lion hearted defender of
Mexico, was shot here murdered by his
countrymen, even while fighting for their
own independence,
If there be aught that is base in the Mex
leans character it shows itself in the read
mess with which they viii turn upon a
friend for policy's sake
Santa Anna and Bustamente-tw pro
Misunderstanding defeated Guerrero, the
elected president of the republic caused him
to be pursued like a wild beast until cap
tured off the southern coast and brought
here. BY some grim freak of fate he was
tried by court marshal presided over by
General Montezuma.
See how intimately connected are these
four great names which have played so inn
portant part in Mexicos history. In the
court of the convent began by Cort6s,
within stones throw of the grave of
Malinche-who was more potent in the Az.
tee overthrow than the whole Spanish
army--a council of chiefs with Montezuma
at their head, sentences to death the noblest
and purest of Mexican defenders His
tory, truly, brings about its avenger
The cura, who had made us welcome and
stabbed our horses in the deserted chapel,
took us TO the spot where Guerrero was
shot, in February, 1881. Here is "A tomb,
erected to his memory by his grandson,
though his remains are inferred in Mexico,
in the Panteop San Fernando. From the